After a doping ban: how about Simona Halep?
The public has not heard from Simona Halep since her doping ban in October 2022. Ex-coach Darren Cahill at least knows something.
by Florian Goosmann
last edit: Mar 23, 2023, 04:24 pm
It was a shock that went around the tennis world on October 21, 2022: Simona Halep had announced that she was accused of doping, that a sample at the US Open contained roxadustat - a drug that increases red blood cells and similar the banned EPO ensures an improved oxygen supply.
The outcry was great, because Halep enjoys an excellent reputation in the scene as an honest worker. Above all, her (ex) coaches gave her protégé full support. "She is absolutely against any form of doping. I know that it never occurred to her to take a banned substance," wrote Patrick Mouratoglou, with whom Halep last worked and in 2022 new fire at the ex-number 1 had kindled.
Darren Cahill, with whom Halep won her first Grand Slam tournament at the French Open in 2018, was even more detailed - the two had worked together for six years. Cahill said there was "ZERO chance" that Halep knowingly ingested a prohibited substance. "Simona's integrity is flawless," he continued, and: "Honesty has always been her greatest strength and greatest weakness" - they always joked that she could never tell even a little lie.
Darren Cahill on Halep: "I know her DNA"
It was Cahill who announced at least a small update a few weeks ago on the Halep case. It is now known where the contamination came from – a hearing will probably follow soon, explained Cahill in the podcast The Big Deal . And of course the WADA guidelines are correct, that every athlete is responsible for what is in their body. "Simona will serve her sentence. But it wasn't her fault, she didn't do anything wrong." In this case, a company made a mistake, a medical professional, someone from the WTA or from their team. "I hope someone raises their hand and takes responsibility for it, because if I know one thing: Simona didn't make a mistake."
"I often think of Simo," he also explained. "I know her DNA and there's no way she cheated. She's a great woman, a great person."